I can’t live in my house any longer, yet I can’t sell it...

[Shadowboy]

For my mental health I need out of my house but despite being on the market 6 weeks we’ve had no offers.

We bought it in a rush as our buyers wanted to complete for school applications to ensure they made it to the catchment school in our previous area.

So it’s just to for us; it’s not somewhere I’ve settled or felt at home. It’s too boring here and the house is too ‘normal’ and new (it’s a new build) the area is just full of kids and middle class blandness. It’s getting me down. I’m stressed and feeling trapped.

The problem is we bought in the 2017 mini peak so we have house up for sale for the exact same price that we paid for it 3 years ago.... yet it’s still not selling. New exact versions of this house at £40k more! (And are selling like hot cakes)

I can’t explain how tight in the chest I feel at the thought of another few years here...

I’m not sure what I want from this post- perhaps just an opportunity to vent my feelings.

So you have not become disabled and are unable to navigate your home?

You weren’t forced to change jobs and now have a commute that is leaving you so exhausted it is dangerous?
You don’t have obnoxious neighbors throwing constant parties and filling your house with smoke?

Op, I would really recommend some perspective and maybe some therapy. “Middle class blandness” is not a real Problem. A safe, quiet home with plenty of space should give you the opportunity to flourish as you fill your life with your pursuits that make you happy. As long as you have your own hobbies and interests, what does it matter that the people are doing next door?

Is it worth putting the rightmove link on here so we can advise better?
I understand about the teaching aspect and learners too

Have you had any feedback from your viewings? I would push the estate agent for feedback, if you haven't received any. Can you afford to drop the price? Everything sells if the price is right

I agree with other posters that a Rightmove link would be helpful. You will get useful advice from Mumsnet virtual viewers!

Unfortunately not new new-builds are hard to sell if the estate is still being built. People like their new build to be, well, new.

Any chance of you renting it out and renting eslewhere?

Can you post some pics of the interiors? The rightmove link might be too outing but if you just post some pics we might be able to advise some things that might either a) help you sell or b) make you love your home more

Have I missed something? What is a sex pond?

You live in a 4 bedroom house and it's making you depressed!

Meanwhile in the real world..

Sex pond is a hot tub. They're not middle class!

@Shadowboy I fully understand how you feel. You need to do all it takes to move for your mental health.

Can you accept less? mental health over money every time x

New builds are shit to sell when they are still building, why would you buy a nearly new one when the builders are offering incentives and you can pick all your fittings etc.

You either need to Massively price slash or rent in for a while.

Im in a situation where i would prefer to buy your cheaper house than brand new one bit help to buy is only on new builds so means we are being forced to buy a new build in order to get mortgage with deposit we have etc due to help to buy

Have this thread pulled, do a name change and post a new thread saying "Why isn't my house selling". Leave out the stuff about hating the area or being a teacher. (Because apparently you're a snowflake if you dislike living in an area which slowly strangles your soul. )

Then your username will not be found out by anyone who recognises your house.

Here new builds are overpriced.
If you're house is that new it should still be under the builders warranty.
New builds are notorious for problems.

If a buyer purchases off you will they be able to claim any repairs off the developers?

I wouldn't buy a new build that new second hand.

@Purpleartichoke

So you have not become disabled and are unable to navigate your home? You weren’t forced to change jobs and now have a commute that is leaving you so exhausted it is dangerous? You don’t have obnoxious neighbors throwing constant parties and filling your house with smoke?

Op, I would really recommend some perspective and maybe some therapy. “Middle class blandness” is not a real Problem. A safe, quiet home with plenty of space should give you the opportunity to flourish as you fill your life with your pursuits that make you happy. As long as you have your own hobbies and interests, what does it matter that the people are doing next door?

@purpleartichoke Why are you trying to minimise OP's issue just because it seems yours happens to be worse. You sound very bitter. If you haven't done so already, try posting your issue on your own thread.

OP, you're entitle to feel how you do. I'm not happy with the area I live in either. You will get out eventually but I definitely understand the time waiting for that to happen isn't nice.

You are in a 4 bed house, and your issue is that the neighbours are boring?
I'm wondering what is really worrying you, it sounds to me that you are hanging your frustrations with life on the house. Is it having spent too long in the house/immediate area because of lockdown? Is it difficult to access the sort of entertainment you prefer ( nothing is happening anywhere now)?
I know there are drawbacks to living near the school you teach in, but they are pretty minimal unless you are getting publicly drunk every night. You don't actually need to put the bins out whilst in your nightwear, you can go to the shops without make-up, these things are not such a big deal.
Maybe think what you can do to make staying where you are, at least temporarily, a bit more interesting.

The chances are that the brand news ones you think are going for 40k more are being heavily discounted.

I wouldn’t like to live in a new-build estate either, particularly an unfinished one, but if I did, I’d want go for a brand new one where I could choose the kitchen etc.

Everything will sell eventually. You might need to drop the price though.

Have you had any previous issues with your MH, OP? While the house might be making yours worse at the moment, IME people with MH tend to focus on one thing as the cause when it's usually something completely different.

If they are still building after three years it must be quite a large development. Is it under the stamp duty threshold (to take advantage of the tax break at the moment)?

@ChicCroissant no never! I’m quite outgoing, love meeting friends etc and maybe it’s the lockdown situation that someone mentioned previously?
It’s also the teacher issue- a few students live on my street and I find I can’t relax and one family live opposite and the daughter left last year - didn’t attain the A she wanted (got a B) and now I don’t know, but I feel I’m being judged as being bad at my job- she even asked me why I was t working during lockdown as I was getting in my car...

I think it’s a combination of the plain, characterless area; lack of nearby amenities; feeling like nothing interesting ever happens here; and I’m paying top whack for my mortgage (we didn’t use help to buy!) so it feels like I have so little free cash to do anything anyway.

For some reason it’s really affecting me- I’m usually unflappable but this is affecting my thoughts

Have you considered renting and renting? Might be a way to make the move now?

@Northernsoullover

The longer I spent working in a school the more I hated kids . I get it.

Yup. I hated being Missed when I wasn't in school. Especially in the supermarket, when they'd peer into my trolley to see what I'd bought.

I'm currently looking for a similar property and I'll share what has turned us off properties - garages so packed you can't see how big it is, really cluttered rooms than make them seem small, lack of space for a tumble dryer (if you don't, think about where you could suggest one would fit), no downstairs loo, plastic grass and toys everywhere is off putting. Lack of parking is my number one issue though, nothing you can do but make sure your agent points out the street around the corner with lots of space or whatever.

It will sell but you may have to sell at a loss. Believe me, it is worth taking the hit it if it is making you miserable.

In the meantime, take a critical view at your estate agent photos and description. I know you pay them to do a good job but most are pretty useless. If you think they can be improved, take your own photos and ask them to change the details.

And maybe consider renting until you find your ideal property. The next house needs to be the right one for you, not rushing into another wrong decision.

I did not not know about that sex pond/hot tub thing. What’s a swimming pool known as then, in this ‘boring middle class’ area? A sex lake? (I hope not, my 67 year old father has one in his land 🤦🏻‍♀️)

I have a hot tub, have never called it a sex pond! (and have never had sex in it!).

Some selling points of a not-new new build you may need to push. Your turf will have taken, so you can really sell the garden. A lot of new builds have appalling gardens so is there any way you can really really jazz yours up? Your house will have "settled" and have had it's 1 year replaster, so that won't be such an upheaval. Can you upload links directly to the pictures of the outside or interior without the listing? We could give some really constructive feedback. Little things that you miss are very obvious to others!